1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lifting device for transporting items of personal property between floors of a building. More specifically, it relates to a lifting device designed to be placed into any corner of a room.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of elevators and lifting devices have been proposed in the past. Schreiber et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,236, discloses a mountable hoist used as a non-personnel lifting device. The invention allows articles to be lifted by the hoist to any desired height including a height above the top of the hoist principal channel member. The patent teaches that a mountable hoist 9 includes a principal channel 10 and a secondary channel 12 movably mounted therein. Principal channel 10 is preferably a segmented channel member which can be increased in height to correspond to the level of the scaffold associated therewith. (Col. 2, Lines 59-64). This arrangement is best shown in FIG. 2 wherein secondary channel 12 is shown to telescope within the primary channel 10.
Seitz, U.S. Pat. No. 1,596,462, also discloses a hoist and corresponding hoist frame. The patent teaches that one of the objects of the invention is the provision of a hoist frame in the form of a tower made up of a plurality of sections, thereby permitting the height thereof to be varied according to the requirements. The patent specifically teaches that each of the standards 14 and 17 is provided at its lower end with a sleeve like extension 18, attached in any suitable manner thereto, the outer diameter of the said extension fitting closely into the respective standard to which it is attached and also into the standard below the same. In order to hold the tower sections in proper positions, the top tower 16 is provided with a plurality of hooks 19′ to which are fastened to the ends of cables 19′, the lower ends of the ladder being wound upon drums 20. (Page 1, lines 62-73). Thus, Seitz discloses one form of a telescopic frame as clearly shown in FIG. 5. This patent also teaches the provisions of platforms 52 which may be placed upon the sectional tower.
Druschel, U.S. Pat. No. 1,658,042, discloses a portable elevator. The frame includes splice plates 26, having a series of holes 27, rigidly secured to the flanges at the bottom end of the upper and intermediate runway channels and splice angles 28, having a series of holes 29 which are rigidly secured to the outside of the webs at the upper ends of the lower and intermediate runway channels, as plainly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. When the upper and lower channels are aligned with their ends abutting, holes 27 will align with holes 29, and bolts may be passed through these holes to hold the runway sections in proper alignment as shown in FIG. 5. Looking at FIGS. 3 and 4, it appears that some height adjustment could be made by selecting which holes 27 align with which holes 29.
Esenmann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,505; Rivera, U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,190; and Olsen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,641, each teach the provision of elevator guide rails which are formed with segments which are abutted end to end.
Olsen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,230, and Fitzgibbon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,761, each disclose elevator systems which employ a top mounted motor with an associated sprocket gear and chain mechanism to provide the lifting force.
Many of the deficiencies and problems with the devices described in the above referenced patents were overcome by applicants prior invention as described in Broyan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,463. Applicant hereby incorporates said patent by reference thereto.
The present invention operates in a manner similar to that described in Broyan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,463, but has many important structural differences. A major problem with Broyan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,463, and with the other cited references is that such devices require a great deal of floor space in the home or building in which they are installed. Many buildings lack sufficient space for the installation of a lifting device.
There remains, therefore, a need for a lifting device which utilizes significantly less floor space and which can be provided in a building in any non-obstructive manner. The present invention solves this problem by providing a lifting device specifically designed to be placed or installed into the corner of a room or building.